TOUCHPAD

• US 20090219260A1
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Bick, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/465,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20090219260A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A portable electronic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has a body portion and input means in the form of a touchpad. The touchpad is movable between a first relative position where it operates in a first mode, and a second relative position where it operates in a second mode. The touchpad is capable of receiving input data from one or both of its operational surfaces, so providing greater flexibility.

Claims

1. A touchpad apparatus comprising a first major surface and a second major surface, wherein the first major surface includes a first operational surface configured to receive data from a user, and wherein the second major surface includes a second operational surface configured to receive data from a user.

2. The touchpad apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the two operational surfaces is configured to receive the data independently from the other operational surface.

3. The touchpad apparatus of claim 1, wherein both of the operational surfaces are configured to receive data substantially simultaneously.

4. The touchpad apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first operational surface is configured to receive a first type of data and the second operational surface is configured to receive a second type of data, wherein the second type of data is different than the first type of data.

5. The touchpad apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touchpad apparatus comprises a capacitive touchpad, and wherein a direction of current flow within the capacitive touchpad is sensed to provide an indication of the particular operational surface used to input the data.

6. The touchpad apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first operational surface comprises a first touchpad element and the second operational surface comprises a second, different touchpad element, and wherein the touchpad apparatus further comprises an insulating sheet between the first and second touchpad elements.

7. The touchpad apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touchpad apparatus is configured to communicate the data entered via the first and second operational surfaces to controller circuitry.

8. The touchpad apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touchpad apparatus is configured to be operational in a first mode in which only the first operational surface is available for receiving user input and in a second mode in which both the first and second operational surfaces are available for receiving user input.

9. The touchpad apparatus of claim 1, wherein no distinction is made between the data received via the first operational surface and the data received via the second operational surface.

10. The touchpad apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touchpad apparatus is configured to allow a user to view displayed information via the touchpad apparatus.

11. The touchpad apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touchpad apparatus is substantially transparent.

12. The touchpad apparatus of claim 1 further comprising first and second protective layers defining the first and second operational surfaces, respectively, and a functional membrane encapsulated between the first and second protective layers.

13. A touchpad apparatus comprising a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, wherein the first major surface includes a first operational surface configured to receive data from a user, and wherein the second major surface includes a second operational surface configured to receive data from a user.

14. The touchpad apparatus of claim 13, wherein the touchpad apparatus is configured to be operational in a first mode in which only the first operational surface is available for receiving user input and in a second mode in which both the first and second operational surfaces are available for receiving user input.

15. The touchpad apparatus of claim 14, wherein in the second mode both of the operational surfaces are configured to receive data substantially simultaneously.

16. The touchpad apparatus of claim 13, wherein the touchpad apparatus is configured to allow a user to view displayed information via the touchpad apparatus.

17. A touchpad apparatus comprising a first major surface and a second major surface, wherein the first major surface includes a first operational surface configured to receive data from a user, and wherein the second major surface includes a second operational surface configured to receive data from a user,

wherein the touchpad apparatus is configured to be operational in a first mode in which only the first operational surface is available for receiving user input and in a second mode in which both the first and second operational surfaces are available for receiving user input.

18. The touchpad apparatus of claim 17, wherein in the second mode both of the operational surfaces are configured to receive data substantially simultaneously.

19. The touchpad apparatus of claim 17, wherein in the second mode the first operational surface is configured to receive a first type of data and the second operational surface is configured to receive a second type of data, wherein the second type of data is different than the first type of data.

20. The touchpad apparatus of claim 17, wherein in the second mode no distinction is made between the data received via the first operational surface and the data received via the second operational surface.